The Zenith
by hik
Summary: One-shot. The closing moments of the whole story. How Harry walks on to finish off Voldemort once and for all and gives Hermione in the custody of none other than... Draco Malfoy. R&R please!


**I wanted to write a one-shot, so here goes. I'm all for Dr/Hr so… that's what it is. The summary might have been pretty misleading, but, here's the story. Enjoy! **

* * *

'Harry, no!' said Hermione as she tried to stop Harry advancing upon the terrifyingly horrible figure of none other than Lord Voldemort.

'I have to Hermione! There's no other way. Don't you think that it is far better for just me to die rather than risking the life of the many innocent people out there?' Harry inquired.

Hermione had tears of real sorrow in her eyes. She didn't want to see her best friend leave. 'Please' she mouthed. Harry shook his head.

'It's impossible' he said. 'Only _I_ can defeat him, and I shall! Today, this very moment!' he added as he turned back determinedly to Lord Voldemort.

'You're not _'just you' _there are so many lives connected with yours! Doesn't that mean anything to you? Please Harry! Listen to me, just this once' she pleaded as she dropped down to the ground, crying her heart out.

'Hermione, listen to me!' said Harry solemnly as he sat down opposite Hermione and held her by her shoulders and tried to make her understand the serious situation. He forced her to look into his eyes as his own searched her brown ones. 'You know this is important, don't you? You know that if I don't defeat him, then no one will ever be able to do it? Why then, do you plead that I don't do it? What's the use, if I don't finish him off right now, he'll rise back fully again. And then there's no going back for him, he'll be too powerful for anyone to finish off! Even me…' he said as he looked away, trying to hold back the tears that were starting to sting _his_ eyes now.

'I _know_' said Hermione, finally, sobbing as harder than she ever had in her entire life. 'But I can't even think of losing you!' she said, looking up at him. She could see the tears shining in his eyes. She knew he was holding them back and it was ultimately hard for him. She had never exactly seen him cry ever before. And that was saying something as she had been with him for the past seven years.

'I have to' announced Harry as he got up, determined to finish off the one person who had made his whole life a living hell. A raging energy filled him and he seemed to get an intense power in himself. 'Now!' he said as he walked off towards the figure of Lord Voldemort.

He tried not to scare himself by picturing those merciless red eyes. And that menacing smile, he meant to wipe that off his face for once and for all. He left Hermione sobbing on the ground. She called out for him over and over again, but he wouldn't listen. Hatred bubbling in him, he marched towards Voldemort with immense loathing in his eyes. He just wanted to torture him, torment him and make him suffer till he died. He wouldn't let him die that easily. Easy death was nothing that Voldemort deserved. He would make Voldemort die in agony, in anguish in pain… severe pain. He wanted revenge, of everyone, his parents, Sirius, Cho, Ron and most of all, himself. Voldemort had made Harry's life a living hell. There was not one moment when Harry would simply forget about the curse scar that Voldemort had left on him. It was always on his mind and he hated it. Voldemort had taken away his parents first, then his godfather, then the love of his life, then his best friend… Voldemort had taken away Ron as he struggled to survive and fought bravely against the dark power of Voldemort.

For the last time, Harry looked back at Hermione. Almost desirably, he didn't want to go away from the world he had come to love so much. Hermione was one of the people who always made him smile. He nodded encouragingly at Hermione. She ran up to him and hugged him. It was passionate and pure. She grasped him into a tight hug and broke down. She cried uncontrollably on his shoulder. Harry hugged her back, feeling the sense of reckless energy filling him up again.

'What will I do without you?' Hermione asked, her voice somewhat muffled as she was snuggled so close to Harry. Harry remained quiet, he had no answer to give her. Suddenly, he saw someone come out in the clearing.

'Draco' Harry whispered.

'Huh?' said a clearly amused Hermione. Draco wasn't even here, why would Harry talk about him? Little did she know that he was standing a few paces away from the pair of them.

'If you would' said Harry as Draco approached nearer. Harry detangled himself from Hermione as she looked around to look at the familiar figure approach them. The easily recognizable mop of blonde hair, the gorgeous grey eyes… the perfect body. The tall form of Draco Malfoy stopped near Harry and Hermione.

'Good Luck!' said Draco as he looked at Harry pitifully. Harry came forwards and embraced him in a brotherly hug. Draco hugged him back. 'I'd like you to know, I would have swapped for your place this moment… if I could' he said and a solitary tear escaped his eyes as he said this and rolled down his cheek. A tear, that only Hermione could see. She could see he was trying to shake it off. She smiled, stepped forward and rubbed it off his face gently. He gave her a look of pure gratitude. After the two had parted, Harry took hold of Hermione's hand and gave it in Malfoy's. Hermione didn't look up, she was dirty, tired and sweaty. She had tried to fight off the Death Eaters along with Harry, but now she had to lose him, her best friend was going to go away far away, where she couldn't meet him…ever.

Harry smiled at the pair of them and then continued on his path. Hermione still tried to hold him back, but Draco was too strong for her. She knew that Harry had to do what he was about to do and there was no other way. She cried hoarsely and just then, her legs gave way, she dropped down to the ground, weeping and trying to get away from Draco as he made an effort to hold her back. Draco crouched low and held Hermione securely in his arms as the two looked at Harry go over so calmly to his own death. It seemed as if Hermione's tears had dried up, she simply looked at Harry's receding back mournfully. She felt sorry that she couldn't do anything to save him, to save his life.

Draco, still holding tightly onto Hermione, determined not to let her go, was staring at Harry as well.

They watched in grief as Harry entered the region where only he and Voldemort would duel. Even Hermione and Draco wouldn't be able to see him then. He would be away from them, in a different place…

Seconds…Minutes…Hours ticked by and Hermione and Draco sat there second after second, minute after heavy minute and hour after hour until…

they heard a blood-curdling scream that seemed to penetrate through the dark portal that Harry had gone through. Hermione snuggled into Draco's chest for comfort. He held her close, trying to make her feel secure. Hermione sobbed, soaking Draco's shirt. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best. After just a few moments, or that's what they seemed like. A lightning struck. A delicate shade of silver, the lightning was divine. It struck the ground just a few feet away from Hermione and Draco. They looked up at this sudden occurrence.

The Dark Mark was glistening bright and green in the sky. Hermione wailed in grief. The Dark Side had won, _and_ she had lost her best friend. Why did it have to happen? Why did Harry have to die defending the world from the wrath of Voldemort? Why did Voldemort have to exist? Wasn't it enough that he had tortured many lives? He had finally succeeded in defeating the one person he wasn't able to defeat for seventeen, long years. Now they were all perfectly vulnerable to his curse, to his dark curse. She bent in closer to Draco, there was nothing she could do… there was nothing Draco could do, in fact, Draco would die a rather painful death now that Voldemort had returned. Draco had betrayed his father and escaped from being a Death Eater. He had turned to Harry's side and had pledged an oath to always be by him. She felt sorry for Draco, nothing was his fault, he did everything that he could.

Draco however, kept looking into the sky until… he squinted to make sure he was seeing right. The glistening green Dark Mark had faded a little and… another lightening struck. This time it struck at an awkward angle, it was sort of horizontal, as it struck the Dark Mark instead of the ground, wiping off the Dark mark, burning it. When it all started to make some sense to him, Draco thought he had never been so happy before. The lightning indicated Harry, as he had a lightning bolt scar on his head. And obviously, the Dark Mark indicated Voldemort. And he had just seen the lightning demolish the Dark Mark into nothingness. Draco nudged Hermione and made her look up. She looked up and saw the Dark Mark being demolished just at that moment by the lightning bolt. She glanced at Draco for some sort of an explanation… then it all came to her.

Her eyes sparkled with immense glee. She smiled, a watery, teary smile… but a true one. In her happiness she flung her arms around Draco and hugged him. It had happened at last, after seventeen, long and painful years Voldemort had been defeated! But…

'What about Harry?' Hermione pondered her thoughts aloud to Draco.

'Don't know…' he said, his face turning into a frown.

They both glanced up as if the heavens would give them the answers to all their problems. The Dark Mark and the Lightning Bolt had disappeared, leaving the sky looking more divine than ever before. Did it mean… no! This couldn't happen, maybe Harry had survived after all? They didn't know…

'…_and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…'_ Hermione recited Professor Trelawney's prediction that was made about eighteen years ago.

'That can have several meanings' said Draco, wondering aloud.

'It could… but it could also mean, that if the Dark Lord – that is to say, Voldemort is destroyed, then Harry can live!' said Hermione, a bubble of hope swelling inside her.

'Yeah…'

A sudden thunder and some rain added to the mysterious scenario, mysterious but desolate. They weren't sure whether Harry was alive or not, and they couldn't go into the portal, for only Harry was permitted in it. Just then, the dark, smoky, hazy portal that stood from which Harry had disappeared, vanished. Hermione gasped, Draco hung his head. They still sat together, Hermione secured in Draco's strong arms. But, before they could lose hope, an unearthly white dove flew in. It startled the pair of them, what would a godly, white dove be doing over here, in this muddy ground? It was carrying a pink and white ribbon that was as heavenly as the carrier itself. It chirruped sweetly and settled a few paces away from them. It simply sat there, then sort of scrape the ground with its claws, then flew away. It had left a silver-gold print on the ground. And astonishingly enough, it was a lightning bolt. Hermione uttered a cry of bliss. Maybe she was right, maybe Harry had managed to survive!

She looked at Draco and managed to finally get up. She went over to the print the white dove had left and gently touched it. It felt solid, something solid and shiny. And no sooner had she touched it, than a blinding white light surrounded her and when it finally went away, she glanced around and found Harry's body on the ground…he was wearing a white and gold gown that was shining brightly. His eyes were closed and he looked at peace. But…was he dead or alive? Draco hurried over at her side, he held her hand and pressed it hard, somewhat consolingly. Did he think Harry was dead? It couldn't be… it was impossible, Harry couldn't be… However, A white-silver mist hung over Harry's body… it radiated with glowing luminosity…

* * *

**There! How was that? I hope you guys like it. It's good that the story starts and finishes at one point and you don't really have to wait too much or be curious about later chapters! Do you think I need sequel over here? Or rather, would _you_ guys like a sequel? Please R&R everyone! I love reading your reviews!! Tell me if I went wrong with some parts. You're free to flame! I don't really mind… as long as it's for a reason!**


End file.
